Humidifier



Alril '28,' 1,936'.

E` L. 'roRNQUlsT 2,038,773

HUMIDIFIER i Filed May 27, 1955 3 sheets-sheet 1 f ,April 28, 1936' E. l.. ToRNQUlsT 2,038,773

HUMIDIFER Filed May 27, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 28,'1-936.

HUMIDI'FIER Filed May 27,. 1935 vE. ToRNQulsT s sheets-sheet Patented Apr. 2s, 193'6 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE HUMIDIFIER Earl L. Tornquist, Elmhurst, Ill.

Application May 27, 1935, Serial No. 23,553 12 Claims. (Cl. 126-350) This invention relates to humidiflers, and especially to those designed for humidifying dwelling houses. An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive humidifier which is re liable in operation, is adapted for use with gaseous fuel, and which delivers a supply a water vapor in a dry or invisible form without condensation and without such a saturation that it tends to condense.

These objects are achieved, according to one phase of the invention, by heating water to a vapor by means of a burner, then mixing with the watervapor the hot products of combustion from the burner (also containing a considerable proportion of water vapor), and discharging the mixture of water vapor and products of combustion into the space to be humidied, as a substantially dry and invisible gas.

In one eiective and simple arrangement, the burner discharges its' products of combustion upwardly through a vertical passage through a container in which water Vapor is formed by the heat of the burner, and the vapor so formed passes through openings into the upper end of means for directing the mixture of water vapor and products of combustion into the space to be humidied.

The container in which the vapor is formed, the burner, the outer casing, and the controls all embody novel features of structure' and arrangement which, with-various other objects and features of the invention, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the humidier in a plane passing through the abovedescribed vertical passage;

Figure 2-is a horizontal section therethrough on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section therethrough onv the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and with an automatic humidity control indicated diagrammatically; Figures 4, 5. 6, 7, and 8 are perspective views of parts of the inner casing, the container,'and the burner; L

Figures 9 and 10 are plan views of the gaseous fuel burner, with a safety control device shown in two diierent positions in the two views;

Figure 1l is a perspective view of the complete humidifier; Figure l2 is a vertical section through the outer casing: v

the passage. 'I'he outer casing is provided with l Figure 13 is a perspective view of the body of the outer casing;

Figure 14 is a, perspective view of the removable cover of the outer casing;

Figure 15 is a detail view showing the latching of the fuel valve when the burner rst lighted; and

Figure 16 is a similar view showing the latch released.'

The humidier lselected for illustration comprises a base I0 of stamped steel, carrying an inner casing I2 (best shown in Figure 4), over which is secured an outer casing or housing I4v (Figures '11 to 14) having a removable angular cover I6 for its top and front. 'I'he cover I6 carries a grill I8 over the outlet of a discharge conduit 26 carried by, and opening downwardly through the center of, a cover 22 for the inner casing I2.

The cover I6 may have mounted thereon, if desired, a suitable humidity indicator 24 of any desired construction, and is shown formed with an opening 26 for the control knob 28 of a fuel valve described below. The top of the housing I 4 may be reinforced by a strap 30 having an opening 32 alined with the opening 26.

Suitable brackets carried'by the inner casing I2 support a vertically arranged open-ended rectangular burner box 34 acrosswhich is arranged a burner element in the form of a pipe section 36 perforated on itsl upper side, and which receives gas fuel from a conduit 38 having a spring-closed plunger type valve 40 through which it communicates with a supply conduit 42 extending upwardly to an adjustable main control valve 44 operated by the knob 28, beyond which is a conduit 46. p y

In the arrangement illustrated, there is a by'- pass 48 (controlled by a suitable valve 50 lwhich is inside the housing and which is seldom changed after once being set when first installed) around the valve 44. Thus the device isoperated on a high-low cycle by opening and closing the valve 44.

The valve 40 is arranged to .be held open, in normal operation, bya spring plunger 52 carried by the end of a bimetallic thermostat strip 54 secured to the burner box 34 where it will be heated by ame from the burner element 36. Il the flame goes out, the thermostat 54 moves the plunger 52 back and allows the valve 40 to close. A pivoted member'56 can be swung to the position` of Figure 10, to hold valve 46 open when the burner is rst lighted, until the thermostat 54 heats up, whereupon the member or latch 56 drops automatically back to the idle position shown in A manually-operated valve 44, the humidier may 4trol is well known be provided with a high-low, electrically-operated valve 58 of any desired construction, controlled by a room humidostat 60 connected thereto by electric connections 62. This type of conand is therefore lnot shown in detail.

The 'burner box 34 is shown as carrying a bracket or support 64 on which rests the lower end of a water container or boiler 66 which has its bottom recessed at 68 for the upper end of the burnerbox 34. The container 66 is supplied with water held at a'. predetermined level by means such as a oat valve mechanism 'lil'of any desired construction. The oat valve'mechanism 10 is shown supported on the inner casing I2 by means such as 'a strap, and discharges into the container 66 through va coupling 14. Water reaches the float valve mechanism 10 through a filter 16 from a coupling box 18 which also contains the gas line connection. A

The recessed space 68 of the container 66 communicates at its top with the lower end of a tube or iluet which forms a vertical passage arranged centrally of the container 66 and communicating therewith at its upper end through openings 82. The passage 80, discharges into the outlet memberl described above. Y

In operation, the burner 36, under a high-low the vapor, preventing condensation and forming l a dry gas, but the `moving current of products of combustion -or exhaust gases from the burner serves as a substitute for a fan or the like to mix the gases andl discharge them with considerable force'into the room, insuring a widedistribution Y thereof.-

'The humidme may be provided with any desired safet'y de vices, such as a low water cutoil of a suitablegjiiechanical or electrical type.

While oneillustrative construction has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit vthe scope of my invention to that particular construction, or otherwise than by the terms appended claims.

I claim; 1. A hu'xniydiiier comprising a casing containing a container-for water, a burner arranged to heat the water in said container, fuel supply means for the burner including two valves arranged in of the parallel and one of which has operating means within. the casing and the other of which has operating means arranged exteriorly of the casing, and means for mixing vapor formed in said container with the products of combustion from the 'burner and discharging the mixture intothe space to be humidied.

2. A humidifier comprising a casing containing a container, means for keeping water at a'constant level therein, a burner below the container,

means for supplying .fuel to said burner vand iny cluding two valves arranged in parallel and one of which has operating means within the casing and the other of which has an operating device projecting through the-upper part of the casing to permit operation of said other-.valve from outside the casing, and means at the top of thecontainer for mixing vapor from said container with the 'products ofv combustion, from said burner and discharging the mixture into the space to be humidied.

3. A humidier comprising a container having a central vertical passage therethrough, means for keeping `water at a constant level therein, a

burner below the container and discharging prodwater Vapor and products of combustion froml burner and having' a central vertical passage serving as a iiue for said burner and having openings at its upper end dischargingwater vapor into said passage, and means for directing mixed Ywater vapor and products of combustion from the upper end of said passage into the space to be humidied, said burner having an external bracket supporting the lower end of said container.

7. A humidifier comprising a burner, a contain'er above said burner and having a central y vertical passage serving'as a ue for said burner and having openings at its upper end discharging vapor into said passage, and means for directing mixed water vapor and products of combustion from the vupper end of said passage into the space to be humidifled, said humidier having a control for the fuel of said burner mounted on the ex-` terior of the humidifier. l

8. A humidier comprising a water container having a space recessed into its bottom which continues upwardly as through, the container andvwith openings from the -container into the upper end of said passage, a burner box extending below the container and seated at its upper end -in said space,and 'an outer casing provided with means for discharging mixed water vapor and products of combustion received from the upper end'of said passage. I

9. A humidier comprising a water container having a. space recessed into its bottom which continues upwardly as a passage vertically through the container and with openings from the container into the upper end of said passage, a vertically-arranged burner box extending bevlow the container and seated at its upper end in said space, a loop-shaped horizontally-ar-v ranged gas burner in said box, and an outer casing provided with means for discharging mixed a passage vertically water vapor and products oi.' combustion received from the upper end of said passage.

10. Ahumidier comprising a water container having a space recessed into its bottom which i continues upwardly as a passage vertically throughv the container and with openings from the container into the upper end of said passage, a vertically-arranged burner vbox extending below the container and seated at its upper -end in said space, a loop-shaped horizontally-arranged gas burner in said box, and an outer casing provided with means forV discharging mixed water vapor and products of combustion received from the upper end of said passage, together with thermostatic means in said burner box above said burner arranged to shut off the fuel supply if the burner goes'out.

11. A hiunidier comprising a base having mounted thereon an inner casing having a laterally-extending discharge conduit on its top, a water container supported within said inner casing, a burner arranged to heat the water in said container, said inner casing and said container being constructed and arranged to 4discharge mixed water vapor and products of combustion into saiddischarge conduit, and an outer casing supported on said base and inclosing said inner' casing and said container and said burner and having a removable part provided with an outlet opening registering with the end of the dis' charge conduit.

12. A humidier comprising a base having mounted thereon an inner casing having a laterally-extending `discharge conduit on its top, a water container supported within said inner casing, a burner arranged to` heat the water in said container, said inner casing and said container being constructed and arranged to discharge mixed water vapor'and'products of combustion into said discharge conduit, and an outer casing supported on said base and inclosing said inner casing and said container and said burner and provided with an outlet opening reigstering with the end of the discharge conduit.

E. L. ToRNQUIsT. 

